I have to admit, I’m not real big on bling – aka precious metals and stones. I recognize their beauty and value, but it’s just not me.  For my taste, I prefer materials such as, say, turquoise, jade, and amber, which share a singular earthy beauty no matter how they’re cut.

Amber, in particular, is a fascinating substance. The ancient Greeks called it elektron (this word wasn’t applied to electricity till the late 19th century), and this fossilized tree sap has been used for adornment for at least a dozen millennia, give or take. I love its warm, soft translucence, in hues from the yellowish to the brownish (the most common, which gave rise to the color amber) to even, believe it or not, bluish. Amber’s air of mystery and just plain coolness is further heightened by the fact that in many cases bubbles, swirls and even fossils are a regular feature.

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